Zimbabwe Wild Dogs

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jul 24 2008 | By: zimbabwewilddogs

Hi folks,

I mentioned in the last post about putting a camera trap up at one of the den sites.  As it happened, we put it there at a very interesting time.  Not only did we catch wild dogs on it, but also a spotted hyanea… The dogs were nowhere near the den when I went to collect the camera, and the next time I went down I found they had moved their den.  I guess I have a pretty good idea why they did that, thanks to the camera trap! Spotted hyaenas do not often kill wild dogs or even puppies, but they have been known to do so and would certainly be considered a very real threat by the dogs. 

Wild dogs and spotted hyaena at the den site

Unfortunately I cant put out more camera traps at the dens because we don’t have any for the project – I had borrowed this one from another ecologist, but he usually uses them at leopard baits and cant spare them.  I’d love to get some camera traps for the wild dog project, as I think they would provide very valuable information, so I’m going to do that terrible thing and put out a plea for funding… If any of you feel able to donate something towards the purchase of camera traps, we’d be very grateful.  They cost around $150 each, and ideally we’d need 4 (eventually) so we can put two at each of two den sites and rotate them.  I’ll start raising funds now for these, and every little bit will help.

Inconveniently, the dogs’ new den site is much further off the road through very thick mopane woodland so won’t be easy to get a vehicle to.  Going in on foot is not an option: they are extremely wary of people on foot and when I walked in before to find the new den, I got barked at all the way back to the car!  They really were seeing me off well and truly, but as soon as I got in the car and started to drive off, they were all around me lying on the road and playing.  Crazy dogs! 

Back soon,

Rosemary

Share This